Betting help with 2 hands. Help an evolving fish...

[drtofu66]

As stupid as this sounds-- I don't know how to bet when I have the nuts.

I was going to post in NL HH's but thought that this was so basic that I wouldn't get any responses.

HAND 1:
No read on the villain.
Villain's weak flop/turn betting is either a good thing or very bad (or I'm more of a fish than I'd like to think). Some will say to lead out or bet the flop but I didn't want to give this guy a chance to play back at me. I think I have to fold to a raise.

River betting to you all is probably elementary, but I was not very sure what to do at that point and am curious if my river bet was appropriate. I considered pushing, but thought that gave away my hand and gave him too good of a chance to get away cheap. If he's been betting the naked As draw he at least has to call a near pot bet and if he's careless he'll put me all in, hoping I had QsQ/AA/AK.

Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em, $ BB (10 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: FlopTurnRiver)

MP2 ($26.80)
MP3 ($39.57)
CO ($26.95)
Button ($24.40)
SB ($23.80)
BB ($25.90)
UTG ($49.90)
Hero ($25.90)
UTG+2 ($12.80)
MP1 ($18.70)

Preflop: Hero is UTG+1 with K, K. SB posts a blind of $0.10.
1 fold, Hero raises to $1, UTG+2 calls $1, 3 folds, CO calls $1, Button calls $1, 2 folds.

Flop: ($4.35) 4, J, 8 (4 players)
Hero checks, UTG+2 checks, CO checks, Button bets $1, Hero calls $1, UTG+2 folds, CO folds.

Turn: ($6.35) J (2 players)
Hero checks, Button bets $2, Hero calls $2.

River: ($10.35) K (2 players)
Hero bets $9, Button calls $20.40 (All-In), Hero calls $11.40.

Final Pot: $51.15

HAND 2:

I think I muffed this one badly. I raised to pot but don't know if that was right since it was minbet early with so many cold callers. I probably don't get called regardless of my raise (and I must raise, correct?), but wanted some opinions. Since the board's rainbow, would a raise to $.75 or $1 be better?

Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em, $ BB (9 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: FlopTurnRiver)

MP2 ($22.05)
Hero ($22.63)
CO ($25.86)
Button ($7.63)
SB ($27.38)
BB ($18.40)
UTG ($3.65)
UTG+1 ($33.33)
MP1 ($14.85)

Preflop: Hero is MP3 with 8, 7. SB posts a blind of $0.10.
1 fold, UTG+1 calls $0.25, 1 fold, MP2 calls $0.25, Hero calls $0.25, 1 fold, Button calls $0.25, SB (poster) completes, BB checks.

Flop: ($1.50) 5, 6, 4 (6 players)
SB bets $0.25, BB calls $0.25, UTG+1 calls $0.25, MP2 folds, Hero raises to $2.25, Button folds, SB folds, BB folds, UTG+1 folds.

Final Pot: $4.50

[dzeanah]

I'm a noob, and play fairly tight, but if I saw a monocolor flop with an A and I was holding KK, I'd c-bet and fold if I got much action.

On the second, you've got the nuts. I'd call the SB and see if he'll commit more money on the turn. If something scary drops, then reraise big.

[givememyleg]

1 - IMO you played this bad and got a lucky lucky river. Check calling here does nothing. You have no idea what range to put villian on, and you're giving him money if he outflopped you. If he had a hand like A JX then you want to make him pay for that spade/J/A. I would lead out here, on the flop and act according to villian.

2 - You could have raised it to like 1.5 as there aren't any flush draws to go with it. It was better to raise then just call here though.